Belmont Public Schools News

The deadline for the submission of a letter of interest for the School Committee vacancy is Wednesday, November 12th at 4:00 p.m. Please see the attached letter for details on the submission process.

Dear Belmont Residents:

Earlier this month, Kevin Cunningham submitted his resignation from the Belmont School Committee, citing personal reasons. Mr. Cunningham’s resignation will become effective on November 15th, leaving a five-month vacancy on the School Committee.

In general, the responsibilities of the School Committee are quite straightforward: by law, the Committee appoints and removes the Superintendent, sets school policies, and reviews and approves budgets. The Committee usually holds biweekly business meetings on Tuesday evenings. Much work is also done within three active subcommittees (Finance, Curriculum & Instruction, and Policy and Procedures) that normally meet once or twice a month. School Committee members also serve as liaisons to other Town committees and civic groups.

State law calls for public notice of any School Committee vacancy followed by an appointment to fill the position through a joint vote of a quorum of the Board of Selectmen and the remaining School Committee members. This appointment will be until the Annual Town Election in April 2015 that will include an open two-year term on the ballot to fill out the remainder of this seat.

The School Committee and Board of Selectmen have agreed to a process that allows time for citizens to receive notification of the vacancy as well as to apply for consideration as an appointed candidate. The appointee must be a citizen of Belmont, 18 years or older.

The Board of Selectmen and School Committee are asking for one to two page “letters of interest” from candidates which should include:

· Reasons for seeking the appointment

· Expertise, skills and perspectives they will bring to the Committee

· Identification of the most pressing issues facing the School Committee, both through the April election and beyond

If you are interested in this position, please send your letter to Cathy Grant in the Superintendent’s office. You may either email your letter to her at cgrant@belmont.k12.ma.us with School Committee Vacancy in the subject line; or deliver or mail a paper letter to her c/o Belmont Public Schools, 644 Pleasant Street, Belmont MA 02478. Copies of the letters will be distributed as soon as possible to members of both the respective boards for review.

The deadline for receipt of letters is Wednesday, November 12that 4:00 pm.The two boards will meet jointly on Monday, November 17th at 8:00 a.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, Town Hall to interview applicants and to vote to appoint a new member of the School Committee. If necessary, an additional joint meeting will be convened to complete this process, but ideally, the appointee will be sworn in at the Town Clerk’s Office prior to the School Committee meeting on November 18th.

Please feel free to direct any questions about School Committee service to any member of the committee or make an appointment to meet with Superintendent Phelan.

We look forward to receiving letters of interest from a wide cross-section of Belmont residents interested in joining the committee and striving to provide excellence in educational outcomes for all Belmont students and prudent stewardship of Town resources.